Legend of the Unsolved Mystery
by Karianasan
Summary: The gang comes together for Christmas. With family around, they recall the story of the Red String and the only Unsolved Mystery the gang has ever faced. COMPLETE! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
1. Red String?

Christmas was always a time for getting together, a holiday known for spending quality time with friends and family. With Thanksgiving a close memory, it was easy to find oneself in the presence of others to recall the past and tell stories. The gang was no different. Especially growing up together, they had many stories to share and laugh at over such events. And on many occasions they didn't just hang out together, but invited their families to join in any great big celebrations over the festiveness of the holiday.

"… Man… And that was the coolest example of trashcan snowboarding I have ever seen Shag!"

Fred raised a glass and toasted to the beatnik sitting across from him. Laugher rang out from everyone, Shaggy then getting a hair ruffle from his father behind him. Nothing was as nice as that moment; family, warm drinks and stories shared on a cold winter's day.

"Who wants another round?"

Velma shouted out as the laugher was starting to die out, but was enough for her to require being loud. In her hands was a platter of hot chocolate mugs, piping hot and ready to warm up the group. A joyous clatter of agreement came from most of the people present. Velma grinned and went about passing drinks to everyone who wanted them. She even made sure to have extra, just in case Shaggy and Scooby wanted more then a round at once.

"Thank you dear." Marjorie, Shaggy's mother nodded to her in appreciation for the warm drink. Her husband Samuel also took up a new cup with a grin to the youngest member of the gang. He placed his empty cup on the platter when Velma offered to take the finished one.

"Velma Velma!" Daphne waved from where she had been leaning up against her father's legs off the couch. Using her daughter privilege to steal the warmth out of his legs since it was a bit chilly out. She flailed about to get the girl's attention in the bustle of the room. "Over here. I need a refill!"

Velma snickered and wove her way to where Daphne was sitting. Taking a warm glass up in one hand, she balanced the tray in the other. Daphne took the glass graciously, but noticed something on Velma's hand when she offered the cup.

"Hey Velma… What's that?" Daphne commented; pointing to what looked like a red string tied lightly around Velma's pinky finger like a ring. Velma glanced over at the string, holding it up so Daphne could see it better. It didn't look as if there was anything special about it, besides being one of the two main colors of the current Holiday.

"This? I do this ever year for Christmas." Velma said, before getting a look of puzzlement on her face.

"I have a feeling there was a reason, but I forgot about it at the moment." She continued to look confusedly at the dangling string before someone finally spoke up in the room to inform her of the answer.

"You don't remember Pumpkin?" Her own father spoke out behind her making her turn to face him as he spoke. He took a sip of his drink and sighed lightly as he recalled the memory fondly. "I think you had to be around six at the time."

"Is that the time you guys all came to the winter cabin that one year?" Questioned George Blake, thinking back to when the gang were little. The memory was coming in clearer to him as he thought back along the years and Christmas' past to the moment in question.

"Yeah." Piped in Sam from across the way of George, a smile floating above the second cup he was working on as he recalled the story. "The kids had just started doing all the Mystery hunting… I remember it like it was yesterday…"


	2. Remember when

It was rather a silent afternoon for being Christmas eve, with only the hum of a single car on the road breaking the stillness of the night. On route to the Blake's winter cabin, Norville Rogers and his parents had found themselves taking the scenic way to reach their destination.

"Are we like' there yet?" A whine came from the back seat. A scruffy head poked up struggling to see over the dash at the scenery beyond. Trying to get a glimpse of where they were and how soon they could get to somewhere with food.

"Norville!" A slightly miffed sound of exasperation came from his mother in the front passenger seat. "What is all this Like' business that you have been saying recently? Can't you talk like a normal child?" She sighed, and from the driver's seat her husband laughed at her remark.

"Oh come on honey, it's only a harmless word. It's not like he's going around and adding 'Sausage' to every sentence. At least his choice… like' makes sense." Samuel Rogers joked with his wife who made a sour face back at him. "Plus, he probably talks like a 'normal' kid anyway. I bet all the kids are doing it. So Like' lighten up a bit, dear." This earned the man a whap from his wife, who rolled her eyes as well. He was asking for it anyway. But he did have a point, it wasn't something uncommon for kids to make up words or do silly things along those lines. But her husband didn't need to emphasis it so much. Sighing, she smiled softly and found her son still peering ahead trying to see if they had arrived yet and he just missed it.

"We are almost there dear. Just be a bit more patient. Plus you ate something right before we left, and that was only a few hours ago."

"But… But…" Stammered the young child from the back seat, his eyes growing wide with a look of desperation. "… but that was hoooouuuuurs ago." He whined, holding out the word to add emphasis to his pathetic state.

"He is a growing boy Marjorie, he needs to eat." The Cheshire cat grinned, sitting beside his wife in the driver seat. With a tight lipped mouth, she looked at her husband sternly.

"Now don't be a wise patooty, you'll be setting a bad example for our so…."

"We're here!" Cut in distracting comment from Sam, eager to get away from his wife's evil eye even though it was his fault for instigating it. The light flickering in the distance grew dramatically as they got closer to the Blake's Winter Cabin. Someone might think it more a villa then a dinky little cabin, due to its imposing or pretentious looking outer appearance against the contrary to the inside. It was fully decked out for the season, with lights and plastic figures littering the property. An odd sight to see out in the middle of no where, but at least with all the lights, Santa would know where he had to stop. The only thing that was missing from the whole thing was like a Bat signal version for Santa mounted on the roof, and a landing strip for the reindeer's.

Getting out, Shaggy was impatient to get inside where it was warmer, but then again he also had to rescue Scooby. Locked in a small carrier in the back of the car, Scooby had been too much trouble to let run around freely in the back seat with Shaggy. He would have to learn eventually, but the back had been the only answer at the time. With the back door of Shaggy parent's station wagon opened, Shaggy freed the impatient puppy from the caged.

"Phew… Ranks Raggy."

He jumped down from the car and gave a stretch. Excusing himself, he disappeared into the woods for a short bit before returning looking relieved. With the whole family there now, they moved to the cabin.

The door was open for the most part, as if they were only waiting for the Rogers to arrive. Though there seemed to be a few sets of cars there. At further inspection Sam realized that Fred's family had still not gotten there, so they were not last. Pushing the door open, there was a round of warm greetings from all that were already there. It seemed some board games had been opened up to bid time while they waited for everyone to show up. Looking about, they saw that George Blake seemed locked in combat against the tag team of the Dinkleys in Monopoly. While their parent's were locked in Mortal Commercialism, Daphne and Velma were playing operation to free poor Sam from his ailing Butterflies in his stomach and Broken Heart. Though it appeared that the Writers Cramp was being a bit of a problem as the buzzer went off a few times as the girls traded the tweezers to get at the runaway pencil.

Leaving his parent's side, Shaggy and Scooby padded over to where the girls were. Since they were locked in concentration, they didn't want to interrupt less they break Daphne's focus. The round shape of the small plastic pencil in the game guys arm, did not want to come out. It was 200 points that would be double since Daphne had gotten the Specialist card on it. Which is why she really wanted the get it out.

BTTZZZ

Went the machine as Daphne hit the metal ring that lined the ailment and made 'Sams' nose light up red signaling Daphne's turn was over.

"Like' Tough break Daph." Shaggy remarked as she pouted at the missing the game piece. It should have been nice and come out for her.

"Oh poo!" She snorted before she realized Shaggy and Scooby were there even though he had said something. "Oh hi Shaggy, hi Scooby." Daphne greeted the two of them. Looking up from the game, Velma fluttered her fingers towards the two.

"Greetings." She said cheerily.

"Like' Hiya Velma." Turning to Daphne he had to know one thing. A most important notion. Something that put presents and the holiday on the back burner, and had little importance in the moment.

"… Is there anything to eat?"

"Oh Shaggy…" Daphne sighed, but her mother was on it. Many years of her child being friends with the ever hungry boy, she was used to being prepared. A set of apples and peanut butter was set up for the kids to munch on. Also a few glasses of milk had been added in case they were thirsty with the peanut butter. Shaggy and Scooby's shares were apparent, as they were double the amount left for the two girls. Which took little time for the guys to go straight for.

"Your mom is great!" Shaggy praised, enjoying the snack that Mrs. Blake had offered them.

"Rah rah! Reat rady!" Scooby added, face mashed with bits of apple and peanut butter making it stick to his lips.

"Oh ewww… Wipe off your mouth. Can't you eat like a normal person?" Daphne lectured the messy puppy before her. Though it was odd she was referring to him to eat like a person, instead of the Great Dane that he was. But then how many talking puppies do you really run across to lecture about proper eating etiquette?

"Rorry Raphne…" Scooby hung his head and licked off his fingers since nothing was left from his share but what was left on his chin and lips. A quick wash with his tongue made quick work of what ever was left.

"Ree hee hee…"

With his plate also finished, Shaggy eyed the few that were still left on their plates and spoke his mind.

"Like' Where's Freddie? I thought we were like' last coming. But he's not here yet, is he?"

Looking about the room, he didn't seen Fred's family there either. Even though the cabin was quite big, the large family room is where everyone had come together. Taking up a good chunk of the main floor was the den where everyone sat.

As one would enter the front door, there was a short span of floor, it lead in several directions. To the right was the walk-in closet for the all the coats and shoes to settle into, to the left would eventually lead to the open air kitchen, With no real walls separating it from the main room, the counter was the only border between the main den and it. Which made it alot easier to serve others when people visited. And the counter looked prepared for the holiday, Shaggy was just too short to all of it's splendor. Everything in the room seemed to be wrapped around the den in the middle, descending stairs to reach the bottom where most of the families had occupied it to play the games. A roaring fire sat at the back of the whole area, giving warmth and comfort against the harsh snowy weather that hung just outside the windows. Next to the fireplace was the Christmas Tree's. To not be out done, there was a tree for each family. Of course, it was properly decorated with the likes and tastes of each family it stood to represent, and sat as silent guardians to the presents that sat under each of them. And the population under each were quite impressive.

Shaggy was lost in the grandeur of it all and almost missed the door opening behind them all as Fred and his family came in. The main thing that caught Shaggys attention being the burst of cold air that came sweeping inside.

"Brrr..." Clutching his short sleeves to himself, Shaggy turned around just as it stopped. Standing by the door was the Jones family. Skip, Peggy and young Fred, whose nose seemed buried into his uncles early Christmas present, the newest Exxxagurator that had yet to come out. Filled with pages of holiday myths and extreme stories.

"Have fun with you friends." Skip said as he pushed the boy in the general direction of his friends who waved uselessly to the distracted boy. He barely let out a murmur to his father as he just walked in the direction he was pushed. Skip shook his head, but smile. Boys will be boys. Calling out to the other fathers in the room, he asked for help to get the presents out of his car. Wrestling to get away from the Monopoly board, George was happy to offer his help, since while he was a master of money in real life, he was no match for the combined might of the Dinkleys when they were serious.

With nose still in the magazine, Shaggy and Scooby helped Fred to a stop before he ended up walking straight down the stairs of the den. It was then he looked up out of his daze. His eyes wide with the information he just learned.

"We need to talk gang. Somewhere where the parents can't hear us... We have a mystery on our hands!"


	3. Mystery On Our Hands!

"What is this about Freddie? I hope it's not just one of your cockamamie stories coming out of... that."

Daphne wasn't happy to be pulled away from her game, she was just about to start winning too.

Leading the way, Daphne brought them all to the room they were sharing. Sure, she had another room that was just hers, but since the gang were often to visit, the Blake's had a kids room installed as well, where each had their own bunk bed part to sleep on, with their names on it and everything. It was here they would be staying as they enjoyed the holiday, and it was out of the way where the rest of the parents were setting up and delighting in the present company.

With everyone inside, Fred closed the door mostly so his words wouldn't drift where others could hear him. No doubt that minions of the great dark lord of red had ears everywhere.

"... You must not speak a word I tell you guys." His eyes still a bit wide. "... But I found out about The Great Dark Red Lord of Christmas..."

"Yipes!" Jumping into his hands, Scooby found refuge as Fred spoke of scary things again. The two shook as Daphne shook her head.

"You mean Santa?" Daphne snorted, as the only man she knew to do with Christmas was the Jolly Saint Nick.

"Santa is only a cover, he really is sneaking into everyone's house to deliver these wrapped packages... of doom!" Velma blinked and took in the information as Shaggy and Scooby continued to cower at the creepy things Fred was saying. Daphne wasn't believeing a word of it.

"Well Duh! He's got to ge the presents to us somehow. So he needs to get into people's houses to put them under the tree."

"AH, but those tree's are into the plan as well!" Fred was really into it, the magazine this month would be a sell out for sure. "... The trees are really the Byzornia's from Ricktok beta, that serve the Red Lord. They hide as normal earth trees and are taken home to gather information. Don't you always notice that the trees usually spring out of no-where when Christmas comes around. It's alien's I tell you!"

"Oh Freddie..." Daphne sighed.

"Jinkies..." Velma muttered. The gang looked up in shock.

"Velma said Jinkies!" Shaggy exclaimed.  
"Relma r'ad rinkies!" Scooby responded to Shaggy.

"What is it Velma? Did you see something that I missed?" Fred looked over to where the shorter friend sat. Velma looked up with her big eyes and shook her head.

"Well, it's more of a half Jinkies. While Fred's story is... out there." Fred preened, taking it as a alien comment rather then what she really meant. "... There is some merit in what he was saying. Santa is this mysterious figure that comes to the house every year about this time. I've seen him..."

A hushed gasp let out from them all, but Velma was a bit fuzzy on the details since it had been last year and she didn't really have her glasses on at the time. But a large man had come into her room and gave her a present as she slept. But as he put the stuffed computer plush toy into her hands, she woke up in time to see a man in red leave the realm of her vision.

"... Last year he gave me a present. I didn't get a good look at him, but he's always been really a mystery. He might not be the Great Dark Lord of Christmas as Freddie says, but there is something funny going on here. Why does someone giving gifts have to hide."

That always puzzled her, why did Santa only show up once a year and always dress the same. It was like all those bad guys they had caught hiding behind a mask. What was Santa hiding?

"Well, you are right about that. He does act a bit funny for a gift giving holiday. Why should he sneak around instead of just asking to come in the house and drop them off."

"... I think the parents know, and they let him inside at night." Fred surmised. How else could he get past them? And it always happened, since their parents really never brought to many presents to the Blake cabin, yet in the morning of Christmas there was inevitably a million and one presents under the trees. It just didn't make any sense.

"... So... So we are... going to try to catch, Santa?" Having calmed down, Shaggy and Scooby had separated and sat on the floor. He didn't like the idea of catching Santa.

"Isn't he just some happy man who brings presents? I mean we've all been taken to him at those malls. Like sitting on his laps and telling Santa of what we want for Christmas and then it's there in one of the presents. Why should we catch him? He's not a bad guy."

Shaggy liked Santa. He had to like a man who for one of the holidays, gave him an Easy Bake Oven so he could make his own snacks. Pity he only gave him so many supplies before they ran out of the stuff to make things, but Santa was pretty good to include more each year as well.

"Well, that's besides the point Shaggy. It's the principle of the thing!" No doubt something she probably heard her Father say about things. But even if he was a good guy, there was no need to sneak around. So she was in.

"So anyone have a plan?" Daphne asked.

"Oh Oh! Me Me Me!" Shouted Fred a bit too loud before the others shhh'ed him. And he had been the one to tell them to be quiet. "... Well all I need is some wire, a pressure censor and a buzzer..."

"Why not some string." Velma suggested. Nothing against Fred, but sometimes the solution was as simple as a thread.

"Aw..." Grumbled Fred.

"How does it work?" Shaggy asked, curious on how a string could help them catch the jolly man, still reluctant to catch him. But he saw merit in what they said.

"Simple. Basically we will all hide in various spots in the Den and have a string connected to each of the trees. When Santa comes, then he'll end up bumping into one of them and we can spring out and catch him to ask why he has to hide. We don't need to unmask him, but merely catch him in the act and ask why he has to sneak around so much. Maybe he needs help or something. But there is that whole, He knows when you are sleeping thing, so maybe if we install bells onto the string by our fingers, it will wake us up if we have fallen asleep." Velma proposed, it seemed a sound idea to her.

"AH! I heard that Santa has a secret sleep powder that puts kids to sleep. Hey Daph, do you guys have any spare bells? And the string we need?" Fred looked over at the pondering girl, obviously a tiny step ahead of him.

"The string shouldn't be hard, we were making Christmas a few days ago and we were using this red yarn for it that might work, as for the bells..." Daphne chewed the bottom of her lip trying to figure out where they could get the bells.

"R'at r'out ra r'ones ron ra r'ecorations?" Scooby offered. He had noticed that little bells were occationally hanging on various ornaments and decorations that sat in the festive house. Surely they could get away with taking a few without being caught.

"Alright gang, let's split up. Daphne, you go find that thread." Fred took over leader position and passed out orders.

"Right." Daphne nodded, recalling where it had been.

"Me, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby will hunt the room for bells. We can't let the parent's know, since they are involved with the Dark Red Lord... So try to be not sneaky, but like you are interested in the bell or something. But stay away from the Byzornia trees, they might be watching, but I hear they have poor eyesight, but really good hearing. So watch what you say. Meet back here before dinner, so they don't get suspicious." He nodded and everyone nodded back, knowing the plan.

"Alright gang, let's go!"


	4. Of Strings and Bells

With their best impression of secret agents, each kid pressed against the door. With a nod from Fred, Shaggy pulled the door open a tiny bit to look through the crack. Peering through, he noticed that no parent was close. The coast was clear!

Whipping the door open, Shaggy started to look like he was about to jump out the door but at the last second he put away his 'hand' gun and slouched. Assuming his normal mellow posture, he fell into his natural pace to pull off the mission. They said not to let the parents fine out after all, so casual was the best idea. Scooby also did an exaggerated exit, not to be outdone by his human counterpart. The girls giggled at them and Fred just sighed. With a wave of his hand, the rest all exited out, following the instructions they had been given.

Daphne split away from the group, trying to recall where her mother had placed the string. Sneaking past her mother cooking in the kitchen, with the added help from the other mothers, Daphne dashed upstairs and into the second floor. Up there was quiet, with nothing but the weather outside to accompany her. She thought about her own room, but it probably wouldn't be in there. So that left the study, the attic, the guest rooms and her parents room. The attic was far to creepy, so that was off the list. And she didn't think they would put it in the guest rooms since the other parents were staying in there. So her best bet was her parents room. Figuring no one was up here, she pushed into her parents room to hear a sudden slam of a door and a very curious looking Skip Jones standing by the closet door. It looked as if the door that had been slammed as she entered was her parents closet.

"Good afternoon Mister Jones." She greeted him confusedly, why was he in her parent's closet? It was suspicious. Plus he had been in their room in the dark. Why didn't he even turn on the light. Looking over at her, it took a second before he noticed who she was.

"Oh, Hiya Daphne." He noticed he was still awkwardly posing in front of the closet door. Assuming a relaxed posture, he tried to think of a good reason he was in her parent's bedroom. "Oh, um... I was just getting..." He paused, trying to sort out his reasoning. "I was just checking on something for George. That's it. He wanted me to come up here."

Having come up with a brilliant idea, he covered for what mysterious thing he had been up to. Daphne was still not believing him, and she showed it in her body posture and her look. She was skeptical. But he turned it around.

"What are YOU doing here? Should you be downstairs playing with the others?" Ack, she had been caught. But she was going to play it smooth.

"Well, I was looking for something. I thought it might be in here."

"Well, what are you looking for?" Skip asked intrigued, curious as what she was up to to bring her away from the other kids. He had seen them all go into their shared room, he had not expected one of them to be up here.

"Oh, it's nothing. Just something for Shaggy. You know him. I'll just look later." Giving a shrug of indifference, she turned around and walked casually out the door. But as soon as she cleared her parents door, she bolted to her own. The parents were up to something, she would have to tell Fred. But she still needed to get that string. But then the idea hit her. It was so simple, she could have laughed aloud if Mr. Jones wasn't so close in range. Leaning over to the intercom, she pressed the button and spoke into it.

"Jenkins, can you come up here?"

AS she spoke, it seemed like the butler appeared out of no where. He was the best butler around, and he could get anything she wanted. Well, with in reason. And he was ready to serve any time, but he looked funny showing up in his Christmas cook apron. He must have joined the rest of the adults cooking more bake goods to satisfy everyones holiday sweet tooth.

"Jenkins, remember that red string we were using to make that wreath earlier? Can you get me that string please."

"Yes Ma'am." With a polite bow, Jenkins disappeared and returned seconds later from the parents room with the ball of string. A credit to his profession, he always knew were everything was. "Anything else Madam?"

Taking the offered ball of string, she smiled at him.

"No, that will be all Jenkins, thank you."

With another bow, he disappeared. It was only seconds after he left, she realized she should have asked if they had any spare bells. Oh well, the rest of the gang was taking care of that. Her job was done. She trotted to join the rest downstairs.

The others had been using their time while Daphne started her hunt, to get into position and not look out of the ordinary. Shaggy and Scooby, as always, got distracted and wandered where food was. It would be curious if he didn't go and ask for more food, at least he thought so, so to make sure they weren't suspicious he and Scooby offered to be official taste testers.

Shaking his head, Fred took his job seriously and tried to identify which bells on the decorations he could get. Deep in thought he pondered his situation, using his magazine as a cover. He was seeming like he was absorbed into the magazine his uncle gave him, but was in fact hiding behind it like a true secret agent and using it as his shield against the parents. Behind it's pages, his eyes looked and analyzed his surroundings.

Velma wasn't so secret agent as the rest of them. Naturally being curious about most, she figured it was best to just act natural and take an interest in the decorations. Although there were many store bought decorations, it seemed that many were also hand made. It was these decorations that would be easier to take apart and not harm the rest of the decoration. One in particular, a ornament that had five bells on it, caught her eye. But she was far to short to reach it.

"What you looking at, Pumpkin?" Velma's father, Harold Dinkley came over and noticed his daughters interest in the hanging knickknack. Velma looked up at him and smiled, then turned and pointed at the decoration. Her father looked up at where she was pointing and noticed the bell covered object. She made gestures that she wanted to touch it in her hands, by opening and closing her fingers, and made it obvious to her father she couldn't reach it. With a smile, her father caught on to what she wanted. Leaning over, he plucked the ornament off the tree and gave it to her.

"Here you go. Now run along and play with the others. Dinner will be ready soon." Patting her on the head, she gave him a hug for getting the decoration and disappeared to get the others.

Grabbing Fred wasn't too hard, as he had gotten caught up with one of his stories in his magazine and had forgotten his covert act of trying to get the bells. Shaggy and Scooby were harder, as they didn't want to part with food. As they tugged the guys away, the mothers reminded them they had only a few more minutes to play before dinner would be served. So they had to act now.

Meeting up into the shared room, Daphne was there waiting for the others. She had the ball of red string in hand.

"You guys got the bells?" Daphne wondered, not seeing any ornaments with any of them. She hoped that atleast one of them had gotten something.

"Oh, Like' I totally forgot about that whole thing." Shaggy laughed.

"Rah rah, re r'oo." Scooby added, also have forgotten about their mission. When food was involved, alot of other things got forgotten if they weren't as important.

"You guys..." Daphne grumbled. But it was useless with them and food. They were naturally weak against it. She then looked at their fearless leader. "What about you, Fred?"

"Well you see... There was a military underground strike going on..." He started to say.

"A what?!" Daphne crossed her brows and frowned at Fred. Now wasn't the time for some wacko scheme of his about mole men or space alien trees. "Did you get any bells?"

"Well, no."

Daphne sighed but then heard the sounds of metal tinkling. Velma had pulled out the ornament she had gotten and showed it to Daphne. At least one of them had been clever enough to get one.

"Alright Velma. Now we'll hide this till tonight, and when they think we are sleeping, we'll set up and catch Santa!"

"Guys!" Shouted Mrs. Blake from the hallway that led to the room they were in. "Dinners ready. Come and get it!"

"Phew, just in time. Let's like' go eat. We can catch Santa later, I'm starved!" Shaggy commented, leading the way towards food.


	5. Christmas Diner

Traveling down the hallway, Daphne pulled Fred over and slowed him down to tell him something. Leaning in close, she tried to talk quick and fast. They didn't have much time till the parents were within ear shot. And what had happened upstairs made Daphne enough of a believer that the parents were in on it too.

"Psst. Freddie. You have to listen to me."

"What's up Daph?" Slowing down, he kept pace with her. Even though he was hungry himself, he would always stop to listen. Well, as long as she planned to make it kinda quick.

"I ran across your Dad when I was trying to find the red string. He was being suspicious and lurking around my parents room. I hate to admit it, but I think he's in on the whole thing." Daphne whispered. Fred's eyes grew wide.

"I knew it! He's been acting funny for a while now. And on the whole ride here as well. He's brain has had the Byzorian's pine needles implanted in his brain! Now he's one of their pinecone minions!" Fred started to ramble but they were running out of hallway. Daphne quickly jumped on him to shush him up in time before the parents over heard.

"There is nothing we can do for him now." Daphne hissed between her teeth, though she really didn't believe that a bunch of silly trees were part of such a ridiculous idea. But he was acting strange, so they would have to keep and eye on him. "...Play it cool and don't say [i]ANYTHING[/i] to him at dinner time. Let's just focus on the plan, shall we?"

Fred nodded. It was a great plan, even though it was a simpler version of his own grand scheme. He'll just save that one for another time. Never know when you might need a plan on the side for an emergency.

As the hallways ended, they had run out of time to discuss it. Daphne just hoped Fred's over active brain won't put their whole plan in danger. She placed a finger to her lips and he nodded.

-------------

Unlike some families, both kids and the grown ups all sat at the same table. Usually, it ended up the kids sitting by their parents, and thankfully Daphne was close enough to Fred to be in 'under-the-table-kicking-range' just in case his mouth ran away with him. Helping the parents set up, each of the kids put out the less breakable things like silverware while the adults put the nice china and glasses out. They had learned the hard way many years ago, as certain hands and paws tended to be clumsy with the more delicate things. Even with a few tumbling spoons and forks, the table got set up quickly. With bums in seats and napkins in laps, the food was quickly served.

Each plate and dish was within someone's reach so that it could be passed about when ever someone else wanted more. Clatters of plates and then soon conversation was criss crossing the table.

"Elizabeth, you just have to give me the recipe to these Swedish meatballs. They are great!" Gushed Marjorie at Daphne's mother. They spent enough time together, being friends and all. But apparently the other woman had kept the secret of these meatballs from her till now. With a smug smile on her face, she thumbed a finger at Skip sitting at the edge of earshot.

"Maybe later, wouldn't want the 'king' to steal yet another one of my recipe's."

Turning at the sound of the accusation, Skip furrowed his brows at Elizabeth.

"I did nothing of the sort. I came up with that prize winning dish all by myself. It's not my fault that the judges tasted mine first and called you a copy cat." The judges, referring to a cooking contest the two parents competed at every year. It had become tradition, but sometimes things got out of hand sometimes. Though it was unsure had he actually stole the recipe or not, but he had been strangely curious the year before during Christmas when she had cooked the meal last, even to taking notes when she wasn't looking. But Fred had noticed, no doubt a side effect of the pine needles in his fathers head. Otherwise he would not have done such a thing.

"Don't worry Miss Blake, my father is under the influence of... oof!" As Fred began to speak, Daphne placed a well timed foot into his shin.

"What Freddy meant was that he was under the influence of your wonderful cooking. Easy to see why he " Shooting him and unhappy glare, she tried to silence him from doing anything else stupid. Sometimes when he got something in his head, it was impossible to get him out of it and paying attention to the fact that he might ruin the whole plan if the parents get to suspicious.

"Ah... hah... yeah. What she said." Lowering his head, he pushed a few bits of food about in shame. She was right and he had messed up. He wouldn't do it again.

Time passed and the incident was forgotten, swallowed up by the vast range of conversations and laughter that the season brought. They all were quite relaxed until the meal started to wind down.

"You kids all ready for Santa Claus? I hear he brings presents to all the good kids. Have you guys been good this year?" Skips looked over at all the kids and grinned. "Better be getting to sleep soon, he only comes once you all are asleep."

"Like' I wonder why..." Shaggy started to ask before he felt a tugging on his arm, looking down, Scooby was giving him a look. Pointing a finger, he flicked it across his throat in a motion to kill the current conversation. Added with a few waves of his paws across one another in front of him. Daphne groaned, wanting to place her face into the mostly empty dish infront of her. This was no way to be inconspicuous. And the faces of the parents weren't ones that were oblivious, they definitely were sensing something is wrong.

Leaning back, Velma let out huge yawn. It was fake, but she needed to draw the attention away from the duo. And just in case it didn't work, she gave it another try and yawned again. Taking cue, Fred let out a huge yawn too.

"Boy... I'm tired." He added, trying to make it seem convincing and signal the others to do the same. Daphne got it, and nodded once before yawning as well.

"Me too. I think we best be going to bed. Can't let Santa keep waiting for us 'good little kids' to go to sleep, now can we?..." The last bit was more directed at Shaggy and Scooby, who finally got it.

"Ah, yes! Like' right! Tired... Awfully tired. Yep." Going overboard, the two yawned to show their obvious tiredness with great enthusiasm.

'We better go to bed now. Thank you mother, father... for the meal. Let's go guys..." Thanking her parents, Daphne hopped off her chair and rounded up the gang. She quickly pulled the group out of sight and into the kids guest room for them all. once they were all in, she spun around to look at them all. With a sheepish grin, Fred smiled back at her.

"Well, that went well!" 


	6. Setting the Plan into Motion

Rolling her eyes, there was no time to get mad. It was in the past and they had not to much time to set up.

"Alright, now our parents think we are getting ready for bed, so everyone has to put on their jammies and get ready." Daphne sighed, flicking her hands with a shoo'ing movement.

"Wait, so we just go to sleep now? No chasing after Santa? Great! Now he won't give us all coal for trying to catch him. I am still hoping for some more refills for my easy bake oven!" Shaggy was thrilled. Picking up Shaggy's paws, he and the dane puppy skipped about the room.

"Rah rah! R'ookies! R'akes! Rum rum!"

"Of course we are still going after him, we just have to make our parents believe we are sleeping, then we will wake up and catch Santa!" Fred crossed his arms and nodded confidently. It was his plan after all, it had to work. Stopping their dance, Shaggy and Scooby hung their heads in defeat.

"Oh well Scooby, might as well get ready..." Sulking to their suitcases that had gotten placed in the room for them, they began taking out their PJ's and stuff to get ready. But then something crossed Shaggy's mind.

"Wait..."

"Yes Shaggy?" Daphne asked, flipping her hair out from her shirt. Being skilled, Daphne had long since mastered getting in her clothes while the boys were still present in the room. All it took was at one point wearing both bits of clothing at the same time, before removing the first one from underneath.

"... Won't Santa not come unless we were actually sleeping?" It sounded like a good enough question.

"Well... I was sleeping, and then Santa came and I woke up. So maybe Santa has a machine that detects when kids are asleep and then he comes. So all we have to do is have one of us sleep, and the rest will wait a bit before waking them up." Using what had happened to her in the past, Velma figured that it should be enough if one of them fell asleep to trigger Santa to show up.

The eyes of the duo grew wide at the idea.

"Like'... I bet you will never... ever... hear me say this again. But... Can I be bait this time?" For the first time, Shaggy and Scooby were volunteering. Compared to the countless times they would have to be first running into danger, this was the first time that they were looking forward to doing all the work. Because it meant sleeping! Harmless and simple sleeping!

The rest laughed, all agreeing it would be a rare thing for them to ever ask again.

"Fine, you guys can be 'bait', while the rest of us pretend to sleep to fool the parents... and then when the coast is clear, we'll wake you up. Got it?" Fred gave the guys the ok, and nodded to the rest. They would have to stay awake and then put their plan into motion once the parents went to sleep as well.

Each gave a thumbs up before leaving the room to finish getting ready for the night. Meeting up with each of their parents, they were looked over and watched as teeth were brushed and any last minute things were said and done. With a kiss good night, the kids all returned to the room and climbed into bed.

With Scooby snuggling up against Shaggy, he scratched his buddy behind the ear before leaning close to whisper him something.

"Hey... Maybe everyone will fall asleep and then morning will come before we can catch Santa. I think I won't mind us not catching him... There could always be next year... YAWN!" Yawning, Shaggy felt his eyes growing heavy, being so comfortable in his bed and with his friends so nearby. It was nice, and easy to fall asleep.

"Yawn... R'ight Raggy..." Yawning as well, the Dane puppy was more then happy to follow suit. Inching his way a bit further into Shaggy's side, the brown ball of fur was soon asleep.

------------------

Seconds inched away as the night went into full swing for the parents. With the kids in bed, and a full meal in their stomachs... it was time for the serious games! Drinks and cards went around for many hours before one by one the families turned in. Each making their way to the upstairs rooms, guest rooms and owners alike.

But as the living room grew silent, only one was left awake. A single pair of eyes looked about the deserted den, creeping about to check for signs of the parents. The sounds had died down, and the tell tale sign of snoring signaled at least one parent was out cold. Tip toeing back to the kids room, it was time to set the plan into motion.

Placing a hand upon Daphne's mouth, a hand moved out to shake her awake. Startled, Daphne woke with a start and her eyes scanned the room to see who had captured her. She was able to start attacking when she noticed Fred looking back at her. Placing a hand to his lips, he made the sign for silence. Carefully, he pulled back his hand to allow her to get up.

"FREDDY!" She hissed at him with a whisper. He didn't have to scare her like that. She had been... sleeping. Muttering to herself, she chided herself for falling asleep. Patting her on the head, Fred smiled and moved on to waking the rest. Velma woke up quickly and quietly, only letting out a cute little yawn in response. The guys were another matter...

"Yawn! Is it Christmas morning yet?" A drowsy Shaggy murmered, stretching as he sat up in his bed. Covers collecting about his waist as he blinked and sleepily looked about the room. Though he was sad to discover that the room was still dark.

"No. It's time to put the plan into action. Come on gang!" Fred was like a kid... well like a kid on Christmas morning. Only it was still to early for the quote to be really true. Collecting the bells, he made sure to pass them out without making too much sound. They needed to be as stealthy as possible, less the parents might wake up.

Looking at the bell in his hand, Shaggy rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "Now what is the plan again?"

"The plan is simple. We each will take a bit of the red yarn and tie one end to a tree, and then the other end to us. Also, the bell will be attached near us, to jingle once Santa touches one of the trees. The jingle sound will alert us, and then we can all jump out and catch Santa in the act and ask him why he's being so sneaky all these years." Daphne didn't like someone being sneaky, atleast not without a good reason. Like surprise parties, one good reason to be sneaky. Uncoiling what she thought would be enough string, she cut each kid a length, though she double checked with Velma just in case. With each bit of yarn cut, she coiled the rest and hid the ball, just in case. She didn't need Santa seeing the ball and finding out their plan. Then she gave it to Velma to pass out.

"Each of us have a family tree, it stands to reason that each of us take our string and tie it to that tree." Velma added, that way making it a personal priority to protect their own tree.

"Right. And then we each find a hiding spot to wait for Santa. When the bells ring, we catch the drop on him and make him tell us everything!" Fred said a little bit too enthusiastically. "Come on Gang, let's get ready! We don't know how long it will take for him to come."

Leading the way, Fred directed them all. As quick and as silent as a bunch of kids could be, each of them tied their red string to their families tree. Fred had told them over whispers, that Byzornia's had not the best sense of touch. So they had to make whooshing, wind sounds as they attached the yarn, to make the pine trees think that they were just wind. Unable to argue too loudly, (less the Byzornia's hear) they went along with it. With each attached, Velma pointed out hiding spots she had spent the whole diner looking for. Behind the couch for Fred, and by the piano for Daphne. Shaggy and Scooby would hide in the cupboard, while Velma hid under the rocking chair. Once all hidden, the bells were attached and then the string was tied to their fingers.

All that was left to do... was wait.


	7. Wrapping up

Blowing on the cup in front of him, Sam smiled at the memory. They had been such cute kids, and the whole thing was a joy to recall.

"I remember coming down the stairs to find the room covered in Red string, coming from all sorts of places. The piano, the couch, the cupboard... Even from under that rocking chair. And at the end of each, you guys were all fast asleep. All it took was a few snips of a scissor and I was free to put the presents down as you all slept."

Skip had been dubbed Santa for that year, and had a funny feeling something was up that year when Daphne had come in to the room as he had been hiding the presents in the Blake's closet. It only made it worse as the kids started to do things strangely and say odd things through out dinner. And knowing what their kids got themselves into on a regular basis, the rest of the parents had a plan of their own. They had known eventually something would happen, so they had a few things up their sleeves as well. Including a tape of Skip, snoring. (Though he could never admit it, and often claimed it was faked.)

"I... Think I remember now." The story had started to click with the gang, and it oddly sounded familiar to Fred at least. "I think the day after the plan failed, I drew up a plan for that strange idea I had in the first place. Something about setting up a pressure switch and hiding it under the tree for when Santa came. Once a present would be placed upon it, the trigger would then sound an alarm, so it didn't matter if I would have fallen asleep. I came across the plans when I was doing from cleaning a while ago. At the time, I wasn't sure what the scribble was about, but thinking back now, that was because of this."

"Like' yeah. I remember too. I guess since we failed, Santa still gave me that refill." Shaggy laughed, recalling that the refill didn't even last the night. He had brought the Easy bake oven with him, to the surprise of everyone.

"I still couldn't believe you fit that in your suitcase, son." Sam said, giving his son a hearty pat on the back. "You mother had figured it would have lasted till at least we got home. Maybe we should have taken a pool, I bet I would have won too." He laughed, though Shaggy's mom didn't find it so funny. Though she relented and turned to give her son a loving look.

"Well, at least he did share." Marjorie added, proud of her son for doing that much. As greedy as he was with food, his friends always came first.

"I wonder..." Curious, Daphne hopped up from her seat against her fathers legs and wandered into the room they had used when they were kids. It had sat unused for the most part, mostly holding suitcases and discarded coats. Pushing a few aside, she moved to the bed she had used. It took a bit of reaching, but finally her hands clasped around something familiar. It was the same ball of red yarn.

Confused, Daphne came back out, holding the yarn in front of her. The room, curious at her leaving, had been listening and waiting for her return. It was only when the string came out first, followed by her, that they realized where she had gone.

"..." It had been there, the whole time. All these years. "But... it was still there?"

"I cleaned everything around it. Figuring that Madam would find it eventually." Replied Jenkins to the unsaid question. He prided himself of being an amazing butler, but some things were more important to keep where it was, then putting it back in it's rightful place. He always knew it was there, just in case they ever needed it again.

"Well..." Daphne wasn't sure what to say about it. Though it wasn't like he had been hiding it on purpose. She was actually the one who hid it in the first place. Looking around, she was about to look for something when a pair of Scissors floated into her view. Knowing what she was thinking, her mother had moved from her chair and got the scissors for her.

"Thanks." giving her mother a kiss on the cheek in thanks, she cut little bits of the string. Lifting her finger, Elizabeth offered it to her daughter.

"In remembrance!" Elizabeth said with a nod, eager to pick up the tradition Velma had been honoring all these years. Nothing better then to recall a happy memory on the holidays. Daphne smiled and tied the string around her mothers hand, then let her mother do the same to her. Turning to the rest of the room, they raised their cups and mugs towards her. They toasted to the event. As the clacking of cups died down, Daphne and her mom moved around the group and tied strings to everyone, though Velma didn't need one, since she already had hers.

Once everyone was wearing the little pinky ribbons, Daphne and her mom settled down as the thoughts and memories settled in. But it didn't last long before someone spoke up...

"This... was the only time we didn't solve the mystery." Fred's brows furrowed as he recalled the story and what little he remembered from the young age. In every mystery they had been apart of, this was the only one he couldn't recall ever really solving.

"Yeah Freddy, but really." Daphne looked over at her companion, shaking her head. "It had always been our parents. Not that believing in Santa was a bad thing to believe in when we were kids, but he isn't real. I remember catching my parents some Christmas's later, as they were putting up my stockings and I came out to see what was making all that noise."

Elizabeth and George nodded, remembering the night and how remarkably easy it was to make their daughter understand. It was more of the case of 'oh, that's how it is. Ok, good night.' And she was back to sleep for a few more hours before she woke up again to rip open the presents. With Shaggy's case, he had woke to the sound of someone eating cookies he must have missed the night before, and came running only to find his father. And Fred eventually found out as well. Though Velma had been a bit craftier in getting the secret out, and it involved finger printing and some interrogation before her parents cracked. Though it was their own down fall, having given her a detective kit for her birthday that year.

"True... I guess." Fred sighed, having to resign himself to the fact that they had one black coal mark on their record. Bumping him in the shoulder, Skip gave his boy a big smile before raising his glass.

"To the Unsolved Mystery!" Hanging his head, Fred smiled as he looked up and then raised his glass to agree.

"To the Unsolved Mystery! May it be our last and only!"

"Here here!"  
"Rah rah!"  
"Cheers!"

Clacking cups all around, they celebrated. Because life is always better with a bit of mystery about.

-----------------

"Hey dad. We also caught you that one year, bringing presents to Scooby when he was sick in his dog house. That suit looked so real." Shaggy elbowed his father, who just looked up at him confused.

"Wait? I don't remember bringing presents to Scooby..."

With his eyes lighting up, Fred's smile spread across his face.

"oh no..." Muttered Velma... "Here we go again."

"Looks like the Mystery isn't over yet Gang... Until next year Santa!" 


	8. Authors Note

Authors Notes:

Finally, after several years... I have finished this story. It's been overdue, but I finished before yet another Christmas would pass.

I wanted to let anyone who might be curious to poke at this little written bit, that this story is partly true. Atleast the 'Plan' part. When me and my older brother were little, we wanted to catch Santa. I don't recall the reason, but we tried the typical way and always fell alseep on the couch and missed him. So we came up with Fred's wacky plan.

Drawing a diagram, (Which I have found a few times over the years going through my papers) we planned to have a long set of wires travel from my brothers room, down the stairs, and under the tree where we had a pressure sensor. Basically two pieces of wood that were hinged together, and on the inside was a spring and two pieces of metal that when they touched completed the circuit and would make a buzzer alarm go off in my brothers room to wake him up. My father was probably watching us build this whole thing... Being the crafty Santa he was. The Little sneak snipped the wires while we were upstairs sleeping, waiting for it to go off. You can figure the disappointment me and my brother had as kids, but it didn't last long since when we woke up, presents were waiting.

Though we got my parents back some years later, teaming up to make a bunch of Easter decorations and at like 6am in the morning waking up and covering the house with them. I bet they knew we were up to something (as we weren't fighting and hiding in my brothers room alot to make the decorations), but they did look genuinely surprised as they came down the stairs later. Man, we were so tired that day, but it was worth it. At least I remember it was worth it at the time.

So, thus another story ends... Who knows what stories might begin. Thank you for reading, and I hope you have a great holiday!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!  
~Toki 


End file.
